Understanding the nature of grass fed cow ghee and learning to look after it

Grass fed cow ghee is a popular fat source in many diets, due to its benefits and unique properties.

It is suitable for Keto or Paleo diets and can replace butters or oils in cooking. Cow ghee is clarified butter that is made by heating butter until the fats and milk solids separate, and then filtering the milk solids and proteins out until just the butter fat remains.

This remaining butter fat which is then called ghee, is intensely aromatic and flavoursome. Grass fed cow ghee has been around for centuries; it is believed to have originated as early as 1500 BCE. Since the discovery of this incredible superfood, it has been a staple in many diets. The reason why it has been so popular for so long is due to the unique benefits that ghee provides.

Grass fed cow ghee is clarified butter, and is essentially made from filtering out the milk proteins and solids, being left with just butter fat, making it 99.9% cow’s milk fat. Fats are known to solidify in cooler temperatures, and that is exactly what happens with ghee since it has a high concentration of fat. This fat is also nutritious and contains many beneficial vitamins, butyrates and CLAs.

Ghee appears golden-brown, and can be of different textures; grainy or smooth.

Ghee can be in a liquid, semi-solid or solid state. And the difference in consistency can be explained in simple terms by the ghee’s surrounding storage conditions.

The temperature in which the grass fed cow ghee is stored will greatly affect the shelf life of the ghee along with the consistency.

Typically, the temperature range that ghee will remain liquid would be anything above 17 degrees Celsius. Temperatures below around 17 degrees will result in ghee solidifying. Although the consistency may change, the taste of the ghee will be the same and you can use it in either state depending on your own preference.

A creamier and more solid ghee is perfect for spreading on top of bread. While a more liquid state of ghee is perfect for making dressings and sauces. If you do chose to refrigerate your grass fed cow ghee, it is expected to go soft again once left out at room temperature for a while.

When you order your grass fed cow ghee from different sources or brands, it may appear different each time. Many factors are involved in this. The transit journey of your ghee during shipping and the weather conditions during this may have affected how your ghee looks when you received it.

If your ghee has been sitting on a shelf in a cool store for a while, it could be solid. There should be no overall difference in quality or taste either way as ghee is a very stable food. The state will also have no affect on the nutrients and benefits of the ghee.

So how should you store your grass fed cow ghee ?

One of the main advantages of grass fed cow ghee over butter is that there is no need for the refrigeration of ghee due to there being no dairy proteins, just pure fat. Ghee has a long shelf life, so keeping it out at room temperature shouldn’t be a problem, it should still stay fresh for up to 1 year. It is often said that according to ancient Ayurvedic principles, the medicinal properties of ghee improve with age.

Once you have opened your jar of ghee, it is recommended that you keep it in a cool, dark place to keep your grass fed cow ghee in the best condition for the longest time. Cooler conditions can extend the shelf life of most food products by quite a significant amount, almost up to 2-3 times longer.

When serving ghee or using grass fed cow ghee, try to avoid putting in contaminated or wet utensils to prevent bacterial spoilage. Using a clean and dry spoon will keep your ghee better for longer. If you buy in bulk, a suggestion would be to transfer your ghee into smaller clean containers to store them away for later use.

If you notice your grass fed cow ghee smelling different or looking odd, then this may be a sign that it is spoiled and not suitable for consumption anymore.